diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/python/parse_requirements.go b/syft/pkg/cataloger/python/parse_requirements.go
index a7117bdee..f79737e6a 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/cataloger/python/parse_requirements.go
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/python/parse_requirements.go
@@ -188,7 +188,10 @@ func parseVersion(version string, guessFromConstraint bool) string {
 
 func parsePinnedVersion(version string) string {
 	version = strings.TrimSpace(version)
-	if strings.ContainsAny(version, "*,<>!") {
+	// a wildcard, range, or list of constraints is not a single pinned version. the "!=" exclusion
+	// operator is checked as a substring rather than by the bare "!" character, since a lone "!"
+	// is also the PEP 440 epoch separator (e.g. "1!2.0.0") and must not disqualify an exact pin.
+	if strings.ContainsAny(version, "*,<>") || strings.Contains(version, "!=") {
 		return ""
 	}
 
diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/python/parse_requirements_test.go b/syft/pkg/cataloger/python/parse_requirements_test.go
index 735804e50..1175f7e4d 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/cataloger/python/parse_requirements_test.go
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/python/parse_requirements_test.go
@@ -562,6 +562,26 @@ func Test_parseVersion(t *testing.T) {
 			version: "== 1.0a1.post2.dev3+local.1",
 			want:    "1.0a1.post2.dev3+local.1",
 		},
+		{
+			name:    "epoch",
+			version: "== 1!2.0.0",
+			want:    "1!2.0.0",
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "epoch with all segments combined",
+			version: "== 1!1.0a1.post2.dev3+local.1",
+			want:    "1!1.0a1.post2.dev3+local.1",
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "arbitrary equality with epoch",
+			version: "=== 1!2.0.0",
+			want:    "1!2.0.0",
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "bare exclusion is not a pin",
+			version: "!= 1.1.0",
+			want:    "",
+		},
 		{
 			name:    "resolve lowest, simple constraint",
 			version: " >= 1.0.0 ",